What if the next big idea for Utah came from you? The Policy Project is launching The Policy Pitch Competition, inviting anyone to submit a bold, actionable policy idea for the chance to win up to $10,000.
“At The Policy Project, our process of identifying issues and solutions starts with listening — to community members, practitioners, researchers, and people with lived experience of the problems we’re trying to solve,” said Emily Bell McCormick, President of The Policy Project. “The Policy Pitch Competition is a formalization of that process. If you’ve ever thought ‘there’s a better way to do this,’ we want to hear from you.”
Open to anyone, anywhere — no policy degree or government experience required — submissions should address a real problem facing Utah’s children and families and propose an approach not already in Utah law or practice. The strongest ideas will be grounded in evidence, actionable within Utah’s political context, and centered on the people most affected.
The top three finalists will each receive a cash prize — $10,000, $5,000, and $2,500 — and present their ideas live at The Policy Pitch Summit on June 12, 2026. There, a panel of bipartisan legislators, issue experts, and practitioners will evaluate each idea’s feasibility in an open public forum. Submissions are scored across five dimensions: Problem Definition, Proposed Solution, Evidence & Impact, Implementation Considerations, and Utah Relevance & Strategic Fit.
Applications open March 30 and close May 8, 2026. Finalists will be announced May 28.
Apply and learn more here: https://www.thepolicyproject.org/policy-pitch
